Shock absorbing device



arch 24, 1936.

F. L, RAGER SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l GM E ElEll.

me@ E l E W INVENTOR.

- l5 FRQHK .MGER. FIZ/ M ATTORNEYLS.

March 24, 1936. F. l.4 RAGER SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1935 .El EME.

BIENE. FH

INVENTOR. KLRAGER l BY ATTORNEYS(- Patented Mar. 24, 1936 v NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE Frank L. Rager, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 28, 1935, Serial No. 8,726

8 Claims. (Cl. 'l2-77) This invention relates to improvements in tarily moves with relation to the weight of the shock absorbing devices. building. This movement may be for example, The principal object of the invention is to from east to West. Therefore, as the earth moves produce a supporting `means for buildings, showtowards the west, the Weight of the building will cases, book-racks, shelving and the like, which all be thrown on the east wall, which if not suf- 5- willbe unaffected by earth movements. ciently strong, is liable to collapse. There are A further object is to provide means whereby many factors which enter into the collapse of the support possesses a stability which will offthe building, such as the period of vibration and set forces applied to the upper part of the structhe amplitude of the vibration. It is my object l0 ture, such as wind in the case of a building, or to provide means for absorbing this earth move- 10 the leaning against in the case of a show case. ment so that the same will not be transmitted A further object is to produce a device of this to the supported structure. I, therefore, support character which may be employed with the ordimy 10nd (building in thiS CaSe) upOIl a Cradle, nary building, irrespective of its size, Without which cradle is suspended from a suitable supaltering the structure or architecture of the pOYt- It iS ObVOuS that Suell a Structure Would l5 building. sway in the Wind and therefore I provide equal- A still further object is to produce a device of ZerS t0 OiTSet any fOICeS tending t0 mOve the this character which is simple and therefore one building from a point above the support. wherein the parts are not subject to derange- In the accompanying drawings wherein for ment. the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred 20 other objects and advantages will be apparent embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 desduring the course of the following description. ignates the earth surface in which is positioned In the accompanying drawings forming a part any Convenient form of Support 6. The support of this specification and in which like numerals and structure may take the form of a cellar, the are employed to designate like parts throughout only essential being that an overhanging portion 25 the Same, or anchorages l are provided with recesses or Figl 1 is a, Side elevation of g, building having clearances 8 which are requisite to the perfect opmy invention applied thereto, the supporting eration of my device. Mounted within the cellar structure at a point beneath the ground being iS a Cradle 9 Suspended by hangers Il. The upper partly in cross section, ends 'of the hangers are shown at l2 and the 30 Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken on the lOWel ends at I3. The construction 0f the hangline 2 2 of Fig. 1, ers is best shown in Fig. 7, and it will be noted Fig. 3 is a modified form of my device showthat a universal action is' provided at both the ing the load broken away and the supporting top and the bottom of the hangers. Mounted structure above ground, upon the cradle 9 are supporting pillars I 4. 35

Fig, 4 is a, View similar to Fig 3, Showing the There are cross braces shown at I6, so that a supporting structure below ground and showing building 0I' 10nd l1 may be carried thereby.

one ferm of stabilizer, In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7, I have shown spring Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing a equalzeis I3. The purpose of these equalizers is dilerent form of stabilizer, as follows: When the load is under a static con- 40 Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a dition, as indicated in these figures', the springs Itorsion stabilizer and the building moved as I8 are Sunoient to prevent an ordinary external would occur during an earth shock, the movef01'ee, Such 'as Wind, tOmOVe the building, 01' 10nd, ment, of course, being greatly exaggerated, and relative to the supporting foundation. However,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one when a severe shock takes place, such as in an 45 0f the supporting links. earthquake due to the inertia of the building,

While my invention is equally applicable to the springs i8 will expand or contract, as the any form of load, I have preferred to show the case may be, thus allowing the earth to move same as employed in connection with a building, without moving the building. consequently the and, therefore, throughout the specication I earth will return toits quiescent condition before 5o will refer only to a building, it being understood vibration can be set up in the building. that the building merely represents a load which In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a similar equalizing might be of any nature. device, which consists of a hydraulically actuated During an earthquake, the collapse of a buildshoe I9, which presses against the under surface ing is caused by the fact that the earth momenof the cradle 9. The frictional engagement is 55 carried by the cradle.

sufficient to hold the cradle against external forces, but will not cause the cradle to move relative to the earth when an earth shock occurs.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, I have substituted straps 2l, which straps will function as follows: When the earth shock occurs, and assuming the shock was in the direction of the left of the drawing, then the strap at the left of the drawing would break, while the one at the right of the drawing will buckle. In this case, vthe building would remain stationary andthe foundation would move towards the left.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, a torsion rod is securely anchored to the hangers Il, therefore, as the hangers tend to move out of vertical alignment, a twist is thrown in to the torsion rod 22, which torsion rod acts to equalize external forces in the same manner as the springs I8.

Means shown at stabilizers or equalizers are mechanical and hydraulic but meanselectrically controlled can be also satisfactorily installed or any combination of the three.

It might be mentioned that earth shocks are lateral to the perpendicular. It is to be, therefore, noted that the upper ends of the hangers will be free to move with the earth shocks, while the lower ends of said hangers (being at the center of motion) remain stationary. Thus said hangers absorb the earth shocks and prevent such shocks from being transmitted to the load It is obvious that the hangers remain substantially in alignment with the perpendicular, during an earth shock.

It may be necessary in some types of construction to combinel the two foundations shown in Figs. 1 and 3, yet these foundations wouldnot be connected, take for example a large building on a sloping hillside each elevation would require a separate foundation, yet the cradle would be interconnected. Another example is the pilings under a pier, each piling could be considered a separate foundation yet the decking of the pier (the cradle) would be interconnected.

Itis to be understood that/the form of my invention herewith shown 'and described is to be taken as a preferred example ofthe same and that various changes relative to -the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. A shock absorbing device including a foundation having walls provided with recesses, a cradle depending in said foundation and carrying a structure, Yanchors carried by the foundation, hangers secured to said anchors and to said cradle, said hangers lying wholly within the recesses of said foundation.

2. A shock absorbing device including a foundation having vertically arranged recessed walls, a cradle depending in said foundation and carrying a load thereon, anchors carried by the foundation, hangers interposed between said anchors and said cradle, the upper end of said hangers Y being secured to said anchors, the lowerendY to said cradle, said hangers lying within the recesses of said foundation.

3. A shock absorbing device including a foundation having vertically arranged recesses in the walls thereof, a load supporting cradle depending from said foundation, anchors carried by the foundation, hangers secured at their upper ends to said anchors, and at their lower ends to said cradle, said hangers being universally connected, whereby movement of said cradle with relation to said foundation may take place in any direction, 'and shock absorbing means interposed between said anchors and said cradle.

4. A shock absorbing device'including foundations having vertically arranged recesses in the walls thereof, a load supporting lcradle depending from said foundations, anchors carried by the foundations, hangers secured at their upper ends to said anchors and at their lower ends to said cradle, said hangers being universally connected, whereby movement of said cradle with relation to said foundations may take place in any direction-and shockabsorbing means interposed between said anchors and said cradle.

5. A shock absorbing device including foundations having vertically arranged` clearances within the sides thereof, aload supporting cradle depending from'said foundations, anchors carried by` the. foundations, hangers secured at their ends to said anchors A,and at' their lower ends to said cradle, Ysaidhangers being universally connected, whereby movement4 of said 'cradle with relationV to saidfoundations may take place in any direction, land shock absorbing means'interposed between. saidanchors and said cradle.

6. A shock absorbing device including'a foundation having vertically arranged walls provided with a recess?, a cradle depending yin saidy foundation and carrying a structure, hangerssecured to said foundation and to said cradle, said hangers 'lying wholly within the recess of said foundation, and stabilizing means interposed between said foundation and said cradle and in substantially horizontal alignment therewith.

'7. A shock absorbing device including a foundation having a recess, a cradle depending into the recess' of said foundation and adapted to Ycarry aload, pivotal means between the cradle and the foundation, and springsbearing against the foundation andsaid cradle to resist movement of the cradle due to external forces acting on the load and adapted to yield and permit relative movement of the foundation and cradle when said foundation is vacted upon by forces due to an earthquake.` 4

8. A shock absorbing device including a foundation havingy a recess,la 4cradle depending into the recess of said foundation and adapted to carry a load, pivotal means between the cradle and foundation, Iand shock absorbing means connected toY said cradle and foundation to'resist movement ofthe cradle due to externalforces acting on the load and adapted to yield and permit relative movement of the foundation and cradle when said foundation is acted upon by forces due to an earthquake.

` FRANK L. RAGER. 

